3 The War of Amestris and Xing
by LeandroGarel
Summary: Ed escapes from Xing, and returns to Amestris in time to aid his country in the war.
1. Scapegoat

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

The War of Amestris and Xing

Chapter 1 Scapegoat.

Envy walked lazily towards Ed, smiling widely. He was still shocked by the surprise.

Ling's body laid on the throne, still warm.

Xiao Mei looked at Envy in a hateful way.

"I wonder how didn't you realize it was me?". Envy said, smiling.

He walked around the throne, surrounding it, and touching it.

"I was so envious of this kid… A whole empire to himself, and a powerful enough army to make it bigger". Envy said, grabbing Ling's hand.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!". Ed yelled.

"You were close to him, weren't you?". Envy said, pushing the body off the throne. Ed held it, and made it lay down on the floor.

Envy sat at the throne, and posed his head on his hand.

"This really feels good". He said, smiling more.

"Move, Envy". Ed said, completely raged.

Envy shifted into Ling, and looked at Ed.

"You killed me, Edward… I thought we were friends". He said, pointing at the corpse.

Ed lifted Envy from the throne, and punched him on the face.

"Don't play with me! I can kill you, you know!".

"So can I". Envy said.

He kicked Edward, and sent him flying backwards.

"Guards!". He shouted.

They came close, and pointed their spears at Ed. Then they saw Ling's corpse, and the Emperor sitting down.

"He… Was an impostor. They were here to kill me, but I managed to get them". He said.

Ed stood up, raging, and transmuted his arm into a blade.

He killed one of the guards, while the other was bitten by Xiao Mei.

Ed also killed him, and picked Ling's body up. He started running at the door, but Envy caught up with him.

He made Ed stop, and looked at him.

"What makes you think you're leaving?".

o0o

"This is outrageous, Mustang".

Roy snapped his fingers, and the senator's beard caught on fire. He put it out, and looked at everyone else.

"Please, sign this little paper saying you are giving me the command of the country".

"What if we refuse?". Another senator said.

Breda, Falman, Fuery, Havoc, Hawkeye and Armstrong, followed by Hayate, entered the room.

Everyone but Armstrong and Hayate were carrying guns. They aimed at the senators, and hammered their guns.

"If you refuse, triggers will be pulled, and fingers will be bit off by our dog". Roy said.

The paper passed around, and it was signed by all the senators.

"Thank you. I'm doing this because there's a war about to be unleashed on top of us. I'll win it, and then I'll return the power to you. Now, get the Hell out of my office". He said.

The senators ran away, and Roy picked the microphone.

"Country of Amestris. This is the new Fuhrer, Roy Mustang. I've taken over the power of the country because of a war that is about to occur between us and the country of Xing. All the military report to the main headquarters immediately".

o0o

"Let me go, Envy".

"I'm afraid not. You're to dangerous, and you'll probably run right up to that Hohenheim bastard. I can't let that happen".

A suit of armor punched Envy in the face. He fell back, and started cursing.

"Run, brother! I'll hold him!".

"Al?".

"Run! I don't have much time left!".

Ed went through the door, and ran as fast as he could, with Ling's body laying on his back.

o0o

"Brother". Al whispered.

"Son? You look tired".

"I left a part ofmy soul behind, in case Ed got into any trouble…".

"What's going on?". Winry asked.

"Envy's fighting him". Al said, sadly.

"What?". Lust shouted.

"I don't know what happened… But they're fighting… Envy seems to be looking for revenge again".

"Is Edward alright?". Hohenheim asked, worried.

"He's running away… He has to go away from the palace".

Al lowered his head, and started breathing slowly.

o0o

Ed ran through the woods of the garden, looking for the hole that lead to the Treasure chamber.

He looked for a while, and went down running, as soon as he found it.

He jumped down, and fell through the air on top of a mountain of gold.

He looked for Ling within the coins, and dragged him out.

He went running through the stairs, and made it outside of the castle.

He went away, looking for the train station, while Xiao Mei ran behind him.

o0o

Envy tossed Al down, and kicked the helmet off.

"You idiotic can!". He shouted.

"Do whatever you want! Brother must be far enough right now!".

"That doesn't mean his safe!". Envy said, shifting into Ling.

"What?". Al said, understanding. "Are you going to take over Amestris?".

"And Drakma, and Ishbal… I want to conquer the world, and make humans suffer. And before that, I want to see Van Hohenheim die!".

Envy crouched, and looked at the blood seal inside the suit of armor. He grew one of his fingers into a spike, and scratched it.

Miles away, Al woke up, breathing heavily.


	2. Arrival of the Alchemist

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 2 Arrival of the Alchemist

Ed jumped into the train when the guard wasn't looking. He had bought two tickets, even though Ling was dead. He was going to pretend he was asleep when they were asked for tickets.

He healed his wounds, and let him laying in the seat.

Ling hadn't lost the smile. He was stiff, and beginning to get cold, but the smile of having sat in that throne legitimally was still there.

Ed didn't know wether to cry or laugh.

Xiao Mei moved close to Ling, and licked his face, as trying to wake him up.

o0o

The croud was already organized. Every soldier looked carefuly at the doors of the main headquarters, waiting for the new Fuhrer to appear.

The door opened, and Roy came out yawning.

Many laughs were contained.

"Now, soldiers, listen to me. There's a war coming, and as hard it may be for you to believe it, we didn't cause it. Now, rise your hands, sware your loyalty to me, and get ready for battle". Roy said.

This time, the laughs were massive.

Roy snapped his fingers, and every clear space between the soldiers got lit. The heat rose for a second, as the enormous fire grid held the soldiers.

The flames dissappeared as fast as they had come up, and Roy looked at them severely.

"Now, don't you think I'm being serious?".

o0o

"How's Ed?". Winry asked, as soon as she saw Al waking up.

"I… I think he's alright… Envy cut the blood seal of the armor". He said, lowering his head.

"He's alright". Hope said, looking through the window of the office of the main headquarters.

"Look what's going on". He said.

Everyone came close to him, and looked at the rows of soldiers raising their hands at Roy.

"They are swearing loyalty to him". Hohenheim said. "I've seen other presidents doing the same".

"Have you?". Lust asked.

"Well, yeah… I've seen this same thing from three different bodies and angles".

All the soldiers lowered their hands, and Roy ordered them to turn around and leave.

He went into the headquarters again, and went up to the office where everyone was waiting.

"I've got a special mission for you, Al".

"I-I'm not a state alchemist!".

Roy went up to his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled a silver watch out of it. Then he got out some sort of scroll, and signed it, whispering.

"I, Fuhrer President Roy Mustang (He laughed when saying it) grant to Alphonse Elric, the grade of Alchemist of the State of Amestris, as well as Major to it's army, and shall be, from now on, be referred to as the Soul Alchemist. There, you're in a mission now". He said, laughing.

Al grabbed the watch, and sighed heavily. He tied it up to his belt, and looked at Mustang, annoyed.

"Now I see why Ed hates you so much". He turned around, and the group followed him. They all greated Roy, and just before leaving, he shouted:

"Armstrong goes with you!".

Al started cursing in his mind.

o0o

Envy kicked the helmet around, and looked at the blood on the floor. He just walked back through the hole in the wall, and entered the Symbol room again.

The signals of a battle were mor obvious.

Gluttony was still fainted on the floor.

Envy got close, and touched the side of his stomach.

"I gotta figure a way to get you past the desert".

o0o

The train station was oddly empty. Al, Hope, Lust, Winry, Ran Fan, Hohenheim and Mei Yang were there, waiting for their train to arrive.

Al heard some loud stomping behind himself, and got ready for what was coming.

Two gigantic arms covered his chest, and lifted him in the air. He was then pressed strongly against a couple of big pectoral muscles, and heard his own back cracking loudly.

"Young Alphonse! I'm so glad to have arrived in time!".

"Hell…O… Major…".

Hohenheim came close to Armstrong, and tapped his shoulder.

"Mister… You're killing my son".

Armstrong turned his head, rather curious.

"You're Ed and Al's father?".

Hohenheim looked back at him, and almost nodded, but he was trapped in a hug that lifted him from the floor.

"I've heard so much about you! Mainly from Ed, saying you're a bad person… But I've also heard you're an exceptioanlly skilled alchemist!".

Hohenheim's back cracked.

For the first time in his life, Armstrong payed attention to this, and let Hohenheim down.

"I'm terribly sorry if I hurt you. You must be very old".

Hohenheim's look changed. He got as pissed as Ed being called tiny, by being called old.

"It's this body… But it's quite old, yeah. I think you put something into its right place, though".

Armstrong vowed, as a train arrived.

Ed came down, carrying Ling.

o0o

Ran Fan was the first to salute him, and immediately looked at Ling.

"Wake up! You're safe now!".

Ed lowered his head. Everyone else understood the situation, but Ran wouldn't gove up so easily.

"He's asleep, right? He's… He…".

Xiao Mei jumped to her elbow, and licked her face sweetly.

She covered her face, and knelt, shaking softly.

The sky was starting to get covered with clouds.

o0o

Ed and Al improvised a grave under a tree. It was on top of a hill, where the whole of central could be seen.

Ran and Mei were crying. Everyone else was lowering their heads.

Slowly, Armstrong and Ed lowered the coffin, and slowly filled the hole with earth.

Lust wrote the gravestone with her spikes.

Ling Yao

Emperor, and friend, always loyal.

We'll join you.

Once the grave was filled, they walked away slowly.

Ed turned, and was left behind.

The grave looked almost cheerful… The last flower on the tree fell, and slowly descended.

It hit the gravestone, and fell on top of the fresh earth.

Ed slightly smiled.

He felt his left arm, being pulled softly by Winry.

He turned around once again, and was about to wave at the Grave.

He could almost see Ling's shadow underneath the tree, sitting down.

Smiling.

o0o

The wagon moved faster and faster.

Soon, the green fields of Liesenburgh appeared.

The satiton was as quiet as could be.

Everyone walked the path to the Elric's newly built house.

Ed kissed Winry good-bye, and she went away to see Pynako.

The house received cozily. Everyone hanged up their coats, and walked to the kitchen.

Hohenheim made some tea. Ran and Mei still cried, and conforted each other, hugging.

Hope and Lust looked theough the window, as if the days they had lived some weeks ago were parts of memories from decades far past.

Ed and Al sat down, and looked down.

Armstrong was standing still, near the door of the kitchen. He was rather sad.

"And, by the way, Ed… Roy named me State Alchemist".

"What? I told you over and over that I didn't want you to become a dog of the military!".

"I really wasn't given an option".

"And you let him?". Ed said, now screaming at Hohenheim.

"I can't go against the fuhrer".

"You could kick ten Fuhrer's ass if you felt like it!".

"Well, I don't feel like it".

He poured a cup of tea, and gave it carefully to Ran.

"So… What are you called?". Ed asked.

"Soul Alchemist".

"And what is the mission you have to fullfill?".

"How did you know I had a mission?".

"Why else would Roy name you a state alchemist in such a rush?".

"Well… He told me to gather all the alchemist's we met during our trip".

"Really?".

Both Elric brothers shut up.

"…He'll probably turn them all into state alchemists…". Ed whispered.

"But sensei… She's the strongest alchemist around, after Dad… Should we?".

"…Fuhrer's orders, sadly… I want to see sensei anyways".

o0o

The front door was smashed open. Winry came in shouting.

"Ed! Edward!".

Ed stood up, and ran to meet her.

"What is it?".

"There are soldiers here! They kidnapped Granny!".

Ed heard the steps of a big group of men running heavily towards the house.


	3. Upstream

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 3 Upstream.

Ed went out of the house. A big group of men came by the road. They surrounded the house, and aimed at him with spears and arrows.

"Are you the Full Metal Alchemist?". One of the soldiers asked.

Ed studied him carefully. He had to answer somehow, and he was quite sure he was going to get killed. His metal hand was out there to be seen.

Their armors where dark green, and their helmets had red feathers on top.

"You must be an Elite Troop of Xing".

"We are the _Longtan_ Assasins".

_Long: Dragon in chinese. Tan: Lake, or pond. Pond of the dragon._

"And you are here to kill me?".

Right after he said this, many spears and arrows flew at him.

o0o

A wall grew in front of him, covering the attack. Hohenheim came out of the house, and then tranmsuted a tunnel under the wall.

"We're leaving".

Everyone started going into the tunnel, running.

Some spears started falling from above them.

Ed ran into the tunnel, and transmuted the entrance.

He heard the wall getting smashed, and many men making the ground crumble.

"We can't go by train".

"There's too many of them. We can go through the river without leaving a trace".

"What about Pynako?". Winry yelled.

"She'll be alright. They only want me, Lust, Ed and Al". Hope said.

"Move". Hohenheim said steadily.

He started pushing them, and they soon were out right in front of the river.

"We have to walk against the current. We'll be in Dublith in no time". Ed said.

He turned, clapped his hands, and made the cave dissappear.

"Let's go". Al said, waving his arm.

o0o

"Damn it! If I'm telling you to use Rentanjutsu to move this giant mass, you must do it!".

"But! My Lord! I will be punished with death if I do it! I'm not allowed!".

"In times of war, everything is allowed! And you will be killed, by myself, if you don't do what I'm telling you to!".

The alchemist clapped his hands, and turned Gluttony's container into a wagon.

"We'll have to push it. That's gonna take long". Envy said.

Ling's body was quite convenient.

"Why didn't you do what I told you to at once?". He said, complaining to the alchemist.

"I… I…".

Envy pierced his chest, turning his arm into a spike.

"Just as the Full Metal pipsqueak that time".

o0o

A slight breeze shook Ed's hair slightly.

"Something's happening". He said misteriously.

"What's up?". Hohenheim asked.

"Uh… Nothing".

"Sigh… The assasins must have found out that we ran away". Al complained.

"Let them try to find us". Lust said. She had been behaving darkly lately.

o0o

"We have found nothing, sir!".

"Damn them! We've been looking for over five hours. It's already midnight. They must be far away now…".

"We'll keep searching". The guard said.

"Uh… Take a rest".

The guard turned around, and walked close to the Elric's house door.

The floor rumbled and broke underneath him. He fell down, and rolled through the dirt.

"So that's it!". The general said.

He jumped down, and looked at the tunnel.

"Light some torches! We found where they are".

o0o

It was past midnight. Armstrong was standing, looking at the road they had put behind. Everyone else was surrounding a campfire.

"We have to wake up soon tommorrow". Ed said, yawning.

"We've walked for almost seven hours!". Winry complained.

"By now, they must have already found the tunnel". Al said.

"They are walking with the current". Hope said. "They'll see they are going the wrong way, though. This fire gives us a way. We're up hill, anyways". He said, smiling.

"Well… We can sleep for three hours. But not more. There are only three more hours of walk ahead of us". Hohenheim stated.

Everyone went to sleep, but Lust. She stood awake, keeping guard, and thinking.

o0o

"The sun won't rise in another three hours". The general said. They had been walking downstream for a long while now.

"General!" A soldier shouted, pointing at the horizon upstream.

A shining spot, and a cloud of smoke floated away in the distance.

"Son of a-".

o0o

The river was calm now. They had been walking for some hours.

Winry and Ed held hands.

In the back of the group, Mei Yang and Ran Fan walked slowly. Every once in a while, someone went back, and helped them a bit.

Hope made Mei sit on his back.

"I'm an Homunculus. I don't get tired easily. And you're light!". He said, trying to bring her up.

Xiao Mei ran through the rocks, and reached Al.

He picked Xiao up, and scratched him behind his ear.

The little bear regained that super relaxed expression.

o0o

A boy, with long, black hair, sat at huge boulder, looking at the coming and going salmons.

His metallic right arm was sort of broken. The middle and the index fingers wouldn't move. He looked around, just as if someone was calling him from the wind.

A group of people was walking upstream, and he recognized the big bald one right away.

"They're here!". Wrath said, jumping into the water.

o0o

"Big brothers! Big brothers!". He said, crawling out of the water.

He shook his hair, and ran up to Ed, hugging him.

"I knew you were gonna come!".

Ed smiled slightly, and pat Wrath's head.

He turned around, and hugged everyone else too.

"This is so cool! Where are Envy and Ling?".

Everyone made a deadly silence, and all the faces changed. Wrath, coming out of his little brother mode, understood that something wrong had happened, and also was about to happen.

"Come. Let's go see Mom".

o0o

The butcher shop was quite busy. Everyone in town went there now that Izumi returned, because her amazing story made her almost miraculous.

She was serving people happily, cutting a chicken with amazing skill.

She saw Wrath coming in, and smiled. He walked past the counter, and then Ed and Al came in too. She smiled, and was about to greet them, but also Winry, Hohenheim, Ran Fan, Mei, Hope, Armstrong and Lust came in.

She chopped a chicken's head very quickly, put it in a bag, and tossed it to the woman she was serving. She apologized a lot, and pushed her out.

Then, she closed the door, and put up the closed sign.

"Come in". She said, changing her happy expression, and walking to the living room.

o0o

"We'll be at Dublith in no time".

o0o

"So… That's what happened". Izumi said, thoughtful.

"…Well… Yeah…". Ed and Al said.

She looked up at them, very seriously, and her expression changed.

"What's going on?". She said.

"I… Was… Made… A state alchemist…". Al said, pulling the silver watch out.

If Ed hadn't cured her when tresspassing the Gate, she would have vomited blood right there.

o0o

Hohenheim put himself in front of his sons, and stopped Izumi. She looked at him in rage, but he looked back with his serious expression.

She saw.

Seig came close, willing to defend his wife, but Armstrong stepped in front of Hohenheim, and looked at Seig.

"We meet again". He said. He had been so serious very few times.

They started fooling around with their muscles.

"Roy Mustang, and by the way, the new Fuhrer, granted Al the position of state alchemist in order for him to accomplish a mission. He wants Al and Ed to gather all the Alchemists they met during their trip, and probably make them state alchemists too. Mainly, it will be to help in the battlefield". Hohenheim explained.

Izumi looked at Hohenheim's expression, and sat down, sighing.

"Alright. I'm doing it".

"Come out!". The general shouted.


	4. Out and Away

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 4 Out and Away.

"That's them". Ed said.

"Ok… This won't be a problem, right? We're mainly powerful alchemists in here". Izumi said, sighing.

Some spears smashed the window, and ended piercing the wall, nearly killing Al.

"Well, not so much. They attack at sight of movement". Hohenheim said.

"I'll do it". Wrath said.

He jumped out of the window, while Izumi shouted at him.

He laid his hands on the ground, and they merged with it.

All of the soldiers started receiving punches of the floor.

Izumi ran out through the butcher shop, and everyone followed her.

"Where are we going?". Armstrong asked.

"Rush Valley. There's someone there who can help us". Ed said.

o0o

"Well, this is our main problem. Start pushing". Envy said.

At least a hundred soldiers started movinga giant wagon, which held captive a monster of which no one speaked.

Envy walked by it's side, watching every single detail.

It was going to take at least ten days to carry him through the desert.

o0o

The train had just started moving. They were spread in the wagon, talking or sleeping.

Ed and Al fell asleep soon. Hohenheim looked silently through the window. Izumi talked with Hope, while Sieg took care of Wrath. Mei and Xiao were playing around. Ran and Winry talked about Rush Valley. Armstrong was reading a book that he got out of no where.

Lust was still silent.

The hours passed by, and Rush Valley seemed to have grown out of dust.

They all walked down of the train, and started looking around.

Both Ed and Wrath were bothered and persecuted by every single salesman that caught a glance to their limbs.

Winry looked around very enthusiastically, checking out the new models of auto mail.

Izumi stayed behind, looking at a necklace, and then she went running past the whole group, in a rush.

"What's wrong?". Ed shouted at her.

"Someone stole my wallet!". She shouted.

Al started running behind her, and soon reached her.

"You won't catch her this way". Al said, smiling.

"How do you know it's a She?".

"First of all, I'd recognize those pants and that haircut anywhere. Second, she's got auto mail legs".

Al clapped his hands, and a gigantic wall grew from the floor, trapping the thief.

She turned around, and smiled at Al.

"I should've known!". Paninya said, tossing the wallet at Izumi.

o0o

One of the soldiers shouted. Envy ran up to him, and asked him what happened.

"A giant face! A giant face showed up from under the cage!". He said.

"He's awake…". Envy whispered to himself.

He crawled up the cage, and went in.

"Keep pushing". He said.

A big mass of flesh, that barely had space to move, turned it's dark red eyes at Envy.

Envy jumped at his face, and grabbed his nose.

"I'll bring some soldiers for you to eat, but remain calm. Once whe arrive, you can eat as much as you want".

Envy jumped down, and made the guard come in.

He looked at Gluttony, terrified.

One of his three heads appeared from behind, and ate him, crushing him in a bloodbath.

Envy went down, and told the other soldiers that he was standing guard to the monster.

o0o

"Why are you stealing again?". Al asked. He was the one that went along better with Paninya.

"I'm still paying my debt to Dominique, and I've already repaired all the roofs. Sometimes, I steal tourists. Never someone of the city".

"If sensei caught you, you'd be dead. Be thankful that I stopped you".

"Thanks, Al!". She said, looking at him.

Thay both blushed.

Ed and Winry started whispering.

Lust smiled slightly.

o0o

"What?". Dominique shouted at Ed.

"A war against Xing. And you could be of help". He said.

"Are you crazy? I can't do a thing!".

"Paninya can at least fight and throw some missiles. Some other auto mail users will help, and Winry alone can't repair them all!".

Dominique fell on his chair, and shook his head.

"Never". He said.

"Rush Valley will be the first city to dissappear, together with the Youswell mines". Al said. "You can't let them all die".

"…Damn, I'll do it". He said.

"Alright, pick up whatever you need to travel quickly, and your tools. We're going". Ed said.

Everyone stormed out of the house, and walked through the main street.

Ed stopped, clapped his hands, and grew a platform.

Every walker turned, and a crowd was soon formed around them.

Armstrong stepped to the front, and called everyone's attention.

"I'm a state alchemist, and I'm here to ask your understanding. A war is about to start, and the country of Xing will attack this city sooner than any other. The state will recruit as many soldiers as possible. Users of auto mail will be of much help".

The crowd started coming and going in commentaries.

A spear flew over all of them, and reached Ed's right arm.

o0o

The assasins moved through the crowd, and aimed their spears at Ed and Al.

Ed tranmsuted the spear into a bomb, and tossed it to the soldiers.

Izumi started fighting woth them, pulling their spears off, and hitting them back.

Armstrong started tossing rocks with his fists. Al tranmsuted part of his sould to the floor, and thousands of fists came out of it, grabbing and using the soldiers as toys.

Wrath jumped around, with his arms turned into hammers, hitting eery soldier within reach.

Paninya jumped on top of their heads, and finnally shot them her missile.

After the dust was blown away, most of the soldiers had ran away.

Ed, breathing heavily, looked at the crowd, who didn't know wether to start clapping or panicking.

"With the help of auto mail users, a battle thousands of times worse than this can be stopped".

Everyone started considering the proposal, and one man moved ahead.

He was massive, almost as tall as Armstrong. His auto mail arms were almost scary.

"I'm in".

He was the man that had been cheating with alchemy to win fist fights.

Ed smiled at this, and then looked at the crowd again.

Many hands started rising, and shined with the midday sun.

"All of you who are willing to do this, take a train to central right away". Al shouted.

"You go with them". Ed told Dominique. "They trust you".

Dominique sighed, and walked away with all the others.

o0o

The train moved away, and another one arrived.

Paninya, Lust, Ran, Mei, Xiao, Ed, Al, Hope, Hohenheim, Izumi, Wrath, Seig, Armstrong and Winry spread into the wagon, and waited for the train to take them to Youswell.

"What after Youswell?". Al asked Ed.

"Ishbal".

o0o

Envy saw the sun sinking in the horizon of the desert, with a red tone, and looked at the wagon.

He walked near some soldiers, and started talkin to them.

"Go in, and check to see of your friend is alright".

They climbed up, and Envy heard the sound of bones crushing, and dripping blood.

A string of bloof fell by the side of the wagon, drawing a line next to Envy.

He grinned.


	5. Through the Mines

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 5 Through the Mines.

The train stopped.

Ed was shook off of his sleep by Hope, who smiled, and helped him get up.

The group walked out to the platform, and started stretching their legs.

Lust was still quiet at a side, and Hohenheim got close to her.

"It wounds deep within, right?".

She sighed.

"Lust… We can bring him back. You have to calm yourself. Running away from soldiers is no way of doing so. Head back to central, and rest for a while". Hohenheim said.

Lust got a ticket, and went onto another train.

"I'm going with her". Ran Fan said.

Winry looked at Ed, and kissed him.

"I'm going, too. Alchemists were encomended to accomplish this task, and a mechanic will just be a burden".

"Bu- But…". Ed blabbered, silently.

"I know you're coming back". Winry said smiling. She hugged him, and kissed him again.

"Hope, go with them". Ed ordered.

"Why?".

"I'll be better knowing you can warn them if there's any danger. I just fight dangers through".

"Well… No point arguing that". Hope got a ticket and went into the train, too.

"I'm going with them". Seig sighed.

"Why?". Izumi asked.

"There are enough muscles here". He said, looking at Armstrong, who smiled widely, and started posing. "Take care, son". Seig said, picking Wrath up, and hugging him.

""I'll be good… Unless someone asks for it".

Seig let him down, and kissed Izumi. Then, he left.

o0o

"Where's the rail road?". Envy asked.

"A sandstorm must have covered it. We can't go on". A soldier said.

Envy looked at them, and turned around.

"Everyone, to your knees. I forbid you to see. If anyone dares, I'll take care of him".

The men started talking, wondering what was the emperor going to do.

Eventually, everyone knelt.

Envy shifted into a giant bird, and flew all the sand away. The rail road was easy to find.

Envy saw a soldier taking a glance at him, terrified.

He shifted back to Ling, and walked up to the soldier.

"Silence". He whispered.

Envy lift the soldier in the air, and took him to Gluttony's cage.

After leaving him there, he looked at the army again.

"RISE!". He shouted.

The soldiers looked ahead, and saw the rail road.

"Push". Envy ordered.

The trip went on quite steadily.

o0o

Ed, Al, Izumi, Wrath, Hohenheim, Paninya and Mei Yang, with Xiao Mei, walked around the town.

Many of the houses were destroyed, and some others had been set on fire.

"What happened here?". Al said, horrified.

Xiao Mei groared at an alley, and everyone looked at the place.

Some footsteps going away echoed because of the wall.

"Someone's here". Ed said, starting to run behind the spy.

"I'll get him". Paninya said, surpassing him.

After a minute chase, they all heard Paninya catching someone.

"DON'T KILL ME! I'LL DIE FIGHTING!". A boy shouted.

"Calm down, Kayal". Ed said.

"Full Metal, sir! You've grown tall!".

_-spark-._

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN INSIGNICANT CUT PIECE OF AN ATOM?".

"Brother, calm down! You have grown taller!".

_-spark-._

o0o

The group followed Kayal up to the mines. Mei Yang walked by him, smiling and laughing together.

"They're cute". Izumi said.

"Much like Ed and Winry when they were younger". Hohenheim added.

"Hey, Kayal". Armstrong called him.

Kayal turned around, and walked up to the landmark.

"What is it… Sir?".

"Why are we going to the mines? And more over, why is the town wrecked?".

"The answer for both is that we were attacked by soldiers. A small group, but they must have been specialists. They destroyed everything in less than an hour, and we had to escape to the mines. They are waiting for my return in order to escape to Lior by a mountain path".

"And where are these soldiers?".

"We hope to have lost them inside the mines. The whole town is in there, so it's hard to move".

They climbed up some rocks, and entered the mines.

Kayal walked silently, and everyone tried to imitate him.

After a while walking, almost in the dark, Ed transmuted a rock into a torch, and lit it with the stones in the floor.

Kayal picked one of those rocks, and started hiting it against the wall, making repetitive sounds.

"Ah! It's that morse code thing, from the other side!". Al said, enthusiastically.

"What?". Kayal said.

"Uhm… It's a code based on long and short sounds, right?".

"Yeah…".

"Keep it to yourself. The military can't have any more power. We have to stop growing". Ed cut in.

"You say this because Roy is the fuhrer now". Al said, smiling.

Away, from the cave, some long and short knocks were heard.

Kayal rose his hand, and made everyone stop.

After hearing the message, he smiled, and ran. Everyone followed, and they soon found the people from Youswell.

o0o

"How's the army going?". Roy asked to Riza, who was with her hand on her forehead, still saluting him.

"Most of the troops have been gathered. Many people came from Rush Valley, too. They are auto mail users, and thy've insisted that they can be of much help".

"Well, they can… Have thay been recruited?".

"Most of them".

"Any news from Full Metal?".

"He seems to be doing well, sir. A train arrived a while ago, and his girlfriend and some friends came in it. They have also joined the army".

"I'll create new positions. Army Mechanic, Army Metal Users, or stuff…".

Riza kept silence.

"So the army's doing good…". Roy sighed.

He looked up at her, and his face changed, becoming much more serious.

"And how are you doing?".

Riza closed her eyes.

o0o

"Ah, Kayal! Your father's been worried sick! Oh, the Alchemist!".

"Yeah! I found him with other alchemist friends of his! Where's my dad?".

"He's in the front of the line".

"Go tell him I found Edward, and that I'm staying here to guard the back".

"We'll go with you". Ed said.

The group moved forward through the tunnel.

Many people recognized Ed, and they started clapping.

Once they got to the front, Kayal's father looked terrified.

"STOP CLAPPING!". He shouted.

A big group of footsteps could be heard running to them from the front.

"They're here!". A man said.

"Not to worry". Ed said, clapping his hands.

A wall grew, made of solid rock, and the right half of the tunnel.

"I've created a cave, so they'll think we're down another tunnel. Once we go through this side, I'll block them in". he said, smiling.

o0o

The sun shined strongly, as Ed came out of the cave.

"That was quite a long time in there". He said, rubbing his eyes.

Halling came out and walked through a little path that lead through the mountains.

"It's a path to Lior. We can be there in an Hour. Maybe more".

"Let's start walking, then". Al said, passing his brother.

As they moved, the road got wider.

The sun got past their heads, and started setting, when they reached Lior.

Ed walked up to the bar with Al.

Hohenheim, Armstrong, Izumi, Paninya, Wrath, Xiao and Mei took the people to the train station, and explained the situation.

Ed and Al sat down, and looked at the radio on the shelf.

"It's still there". Al said smiling.

"It's almost as if everything started here… This was our first clue to the stone".

"What can I ge- It's you!". The grey mustache barman said.

Ed smiled, enjoying his surprise, and asked for a glass of orange juice.

"One for me too, please". Al said.

"Hey, boy, where's the suit of armor everyone confused with you?".

"You do have a good memory, man… It's him". Ed said, pointing at his younger brother, who smiled.

"You stopped carrying that armor around? I thought you'd be bigger! But you're just a kid!".

"Well… It's a long story… Interesting, though. I may tell it to you one day".

"Hey, can you get me some water, please". A woman asked.

"Sure! How's your son doing?".

"He's fine, growing fast!".

"Rose?". Ed said.

She turned around, and looked at the Elric brothers.

o0o

"I made a question, Hawkeye. I'm the fuhrer, and I expect answers when I make questions".

Riza lowered her arm, and looked at Roy.

"The question was how was I doing, right?".

Roy nodded.

Riza sighed, and looked at Roy.

"I'm pregnant".

She smiled, and got close to Roy. He was surprised by the answer, and received her hug without really realizing.

"I'm having a son…". He thought to himself. "With Riza…".

Hayate barked.

o0o

"I can't believe you're alive! And I can't believe you came back! It's been Two years! Two years…". Rose said, bursting in tears as she hugged the Elric brothers.

"You haven't seen me for over two years. Al wasn't gone for half a year". Ed said.

"Still… Come, quick". She said, excited.

She grabbed their hands, and ran with them up to the temple.

They walked in, and looked at the massive statue of the sun god, Letho.

"Rose… You didn't convince me six years ago, and you're not convincing me now".

"It's not God… It's him". She said, pointing at a man who was repearing some cracks on the statue, using alchemy.

His grey hair was still short, and his left arm had one large decontruction tattoo. He turned around when he heard Rose, showing his X shaped scar, created by a madman who called it 'his masterpiece'.

"Edward. Alphonse". Scar said, smiling slightly.

o0o

The night had fallen. Ed and Al had been invited to dinner at Rose's house. Scar sat down with a glass of water, talking to them. Rose had gone out to look for their son, who was at a friend's house.

"Once I found Rose, we got married right away. I know what you did to me, Edward. You left my feelings for Lust on the other side… Anyways, I met my son, and we got married right away. She invited me to live here, and I started working as a repairman, paying for some things, and living peacefully".

The Elric brother's sighed.

"That's what we want to discuss".

Scar's face abandonned his recently acquired relaxed expression.

After explaining and telling the story, they waited for his reaction.

"I can't… I can't risk what I have here. I will never kill again…".

"If you don't fight for your own freedom, fight for the lifes of Rose and your son".

A loud scream was heard outside. Many footsteps walked around, and the lights of the town illuminated the street, where a troop of Xing soldiers.

"HELP!". Another scream was heard.

"ROSE!". Scar shouted.

Without thinking it twice, he jumped out through the window, and ran through the street.

Many soldiers move around him, carrying spears, and aiming at him.

He laid his hand on the floor, and a red lightning crawled up the street lamps.

Te light bulbs were crushed.

Everything was left in darkness, except for the ocassional red shines of Scar's alchemy, that were followed by the sound of crashing bone and flesh, and scattered blood.

The lights were reconstructed by Ed, who had come down of the house.

"That's it for the Longtan Assasins". He whispered, looking at the pieces of corpses and the blood.

Scar was holding Rose and his son, who were very scared, and cried to his chest.

His face was in shadows. His red eyes shined.

He looked up at Ed, and regained his serious, and ever-angry face.

"I'm in".


	6. Ahead

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 6 Ahead

Ed and Al met with the group.

They watched Scar talking to the people of Lior from the temple.

Everyone listened carfully.

After Scar ended his speech, everyone clapped and shouted.

The place was soon emptied, and Scar joined Ed with Rose and their son.

"I told them to head to Central".

"Good. Well… We split here…". Ed whispered.

"Yes. I'm going to Ishbal, to gather some people, if I can".

"Be back soon. We'll need you, even if Ishbal comes or not". Al said.

Scar turned around, and kissed Rose. He pat his son on the head, and went to the station.

"I have to send a letter to central. We'll need some trains sent looking for the people at Ishbal".

o0o

"Stop complaining, and walk". Envy said.

"But, my Lord… We're tired… The water is almost over…". The soldier said.

"Tell the alchemist's to turn the sand into water, or to make a well and extract it. I'm not thirsty".

The soldier walked away, and spoke to the alchemists.

"Whimp". Envy said.

o0o

"We're going to Xenotime". Ed told Hohenheim.

"Why?". He asked.

"Fletcher and Russel Tringham are there, investigating after the misterious cures of Doctor Marcoh. They still want to help people, and improve their alchemy".

"They sent us a letter". Al said, handing the paper to his father.

Mei Yang talked with Paninya quite happily. Wrath was asleep, and so was Izumi. Armstrong was nearly finishing his book.

The trip was nearly over, and the sun was leaving it's position high in the sky.

"What about Gluttony?". Al said.

"Hm?". Ed asked, wandering back to his thoughts, leaving those of Winry behind.

"I think we'll have to jump into him again". Ed said, sighing.

They heard a book closing, and Armtrong getting up with a hop. The wagon shook a little, and Wrath fell to the floor.

"The greatest story ever written! Thank you, master Hohenheim!". He said, approaching Hohenheim for a hug.

He lifted his hand, as a sign for Alex to stop, and shook his head.

"I didn't write it. I just wrote down what I remembered of it. I read it back in Germany".

"It's still great!".

"What is it?". Paninya said, showing interest, while fooling around with Xiao Mei.

"It's a story about a young man and a woman who fall in love deeply, but their families are enemies to death. Her cousin kills His best friend, and he takes revenge. He is exiled, and she decides to fake her death with a potion, and then ran away to her beloved one. He finds her, and thinks she's dead, so he takes real poison, and dies. She wakes up, and finds him dead to her side, so she kills herself, and their families stop fighting, to cry together…!". He cleaned a tear drop from his eye.

"Wow…". Al said. "Lemme read it". He took the book, and sat down.

Ed was in shock. He was glad that would never happen to him. But it was a deep story.

"What is it called?". Mei Yang said.

"Romeo and Juliet". Hohenheim answered.

Izumi snored, and Wrath crawled back up to the seat, to sleep again.

o0o

Scar sat down in the tent, and looked at his master.

"So… War, you tell me?". His master said.

"I'm afraid so". Scar said, nodding.

"Our country has already been devastated by the war. We can't fight for Amestris. The people won't agree".

"We are in terms of peace with Amestris".

"As we are with Xing".

"But they are invading us!".

"That's impossible".

"They will conquer Amestris, and then the rest of the countries! We have to help stopping them!".

"It's non of our business".

"They brought me back! I'd be dead if it weren't for the Elric brothers! I left my son behind, and my wife, together with my whole country, and now that I'm back, after having saved another world, I won't be appreciated by my own people!".

"We didn't start this war!".

"But we can end it! My brother studied alchemy, because he believed that it would save the world! We must achieve peace!".

"But it can't be done through war!".

"'If you want peace, prepare for war'… That's a saying from the other world, from a country a lot like Xing. We can help stopping the war, and we must".

The master sighed, and looked at Scar.

"I will help you".

o0o

Fletcher and Russel received Ed and Al with a hug, and shook hands with everyone else in the group.

After telling them everything, they looked around at the trees, and the people that sourrounded them.

"We are appreciated in this community. But we can go. No one here will fight, that's for sure". Russel said.

"How did your research go, by the way?". Al asked.

"We found some of Marcoh's notes in his appartment. They looked like kitchen recippes, but we deciphered them".

"Human lives. That's whats needed for the stone". Ed said.

"Yep… Well, I guess you knew this since a long time ago. You did come and go from the Gate". Fletcher said smiling.

"We saw you there. Thanks for the effort". Al said smiling.

"Let's go get our things, Fletch. We're going back to Central".

o0o

The train, filled with Ishbalan soldiers and men, moved quickly through the rails. Scar was thinking about how to convince them deffinitely.

And another idea stroke him.

Ed had mentioned that every alchemist arriving would be named State Alchemist.

Could he reject it? Could he quit after the war?

He lowered his head, thinking if he'd have to kill himself.

And finally forgave every state alchemist.

Because he was becoming one.

Then, he forgave himself.

o0o

"Well… We're finally back at Central". Ed said, walking in the platform.

He had his hands in his pockets, and walked quite quickly, sepparating from the group.

He noticed he had left them behind, so he started going back, but someone grabbed him from the shoulder.

The warmthj of that hand increased by every passing second.

He turned around, and found Winry, smiling softly, and with some tears in her eyes.

"Welcome". She said, trembling a bit.

Ed smiled, and grabbed her hand. He pulled her closer to himself, and kissed her.

Then she hugged her, and left himself drown in that happiness.

Knowing it wouldn't last long.

o0o

Envy looked above the dune, and saw some buildings in the horizon.

"Rush Valley".

He walked ahead, without stopping, making his troops hurry.

"Come on! We're in Amestris already! We have to get to Central in two days!".

He turned, and saw the buildings. He could already see Central burning.


	7. Confrontation

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 7 Confrontation

Ed woke up, and looked at the floor. He turned, and found Winry laying next to him, still asleep.

He stood up, and got dressed.

He opened the door of the next room, and found Al and Hope sleeping in the beds. Hohenheim laid on the floor, with just his coat as a pillow.

He went out to the aisle, and walked down the stairs to the reception. Izumi and Wrath were there, sitting on to big couches, playing cards.

Ed smiled when got past them, and put his red coat on. He walked out of the hotel, and walked around.

He bought an apple, and ate it quickly.

He knew his stomach would get empty once he talked to the Fuhrer, who had asked him to go to the headquarters soon in the morning.

He turned around to see Al following him, running.

Ed stopped, and smiled at his brother, who breathed heavily.

"Why… didn't… you… wake me… up!".

"I forgot… Damn! I also forgot about dad, Wrath and sensei!".

"I told them to go ahead. I came looking for you, since I knew you would want to delay the meeting with Roy as much as possible".

"Calm down, brother". Ed said, tossing the apple.

They kept walking, but faster, since Al insisted on getting there soon.

Ed hated the idea, but had no way of running away from it.

o0o

Rush Valley was completely destroyed, with its buildings on fire, and the remaining inhabitants dead.

The corpses were being put on big mounts on the streets. Envy checked around for his soldiers to be doing their job.

They spread oil over the corpses, and started setting everyone on fire.

"Mustang would be useful right now". Envy said, grinning.

Once everything was mostly wrecked, Envy walked to the main street, and then to the train station.

"How is it going?". He asked to one of the soldiers.

"We already connected the wagon to the most powerful engine we found. It won't go fast, though. With the whole army following after the train, we can be in Central in one day. We would be arriving at this time tommorrow, walking the whole night".

"What are we waiting for? Assemble the army".

He jumped down, and went to the front of the train.

"Patience, Glut… We're almost there".

After a while, the army was leaving what was left of Rush Valley, heading to Central.

Midnight went past, and Envy made the Army go ahead.

"We will rest tommorrow, before arrival. Calm down". He said, happy.

He was about to make it.

o0o

Ed pushed the door, and went into the meeting room.

In the head of the table was Roy Mustang, watching at him with his arms crossed.

He sat down opposite to him, and looked at the people in the table.

Hohenheim sat down at the right side of Roy. To the left was Izumi. Next to her was Wrath, and to him, Mei Yang with Xiao Mei on her shoulder. Fletcher and Russel sat at the side of Hohenheim, and Al put himself next to them. To Ed's right, Armstrong sat down.

Surrounding the table were many state alchemists, and behind Roy, his troop. Breda, Hawkeye, Fuery, Falman, Havoc and Hayate, who was quite a big dog now.

"Well, alchemists… I gathered you here to grant you the grade of state alchemists, for you to help with the upcoming battle". Roy said.

"Aww, come on, Roy. You just want them behind the 'caring wing' of the military for you to order them around". Ed said, smiling evily.

"Well… Yeah. The thing is you can't say no. Here. I've already prepared all you contracts, and your watches".

The state alchemist surrounding the table moved ahead, and left the contracts in front of the people. Only Armstrong, Ed and Al didn't get one.

"Hohenheim is the Father Alchemist, from now on. Izumi is the Sensei Alchemist. Wrath is the Environment Alchemist. Russel is the Fauna Alchemist, and Fletcher the Flore Alchemist. Mei Yang is the Western Alchemist". Roy stated.

"Well, that's just about all I had to do yet. I've tried everything else". Hohenheim said.

The doors opened with a slam, and Scar walked in.

"Sorry I'm late". He said, breathing heavily.

The state alchemists surrounded him, and were about to kill him, but Roy stopped them.

"He's a state alchemist now".

Riza walked ahead, and gave him the contract and the watch.

"He is the Deconstruction Alchemist".

Scar looked down at his title, and hated himself for a second, but he swallowed hard, and put his hand over his forehead, saluting Roy.

"I never thought this would happen". Roy said, smiling.

o0o

"Rest here, and now. In an hour, we will attack Central". Envy said.

The army gave a general sigh, and they all started laying on the ground.

"It's almost over". Envy smiled.

o0o

Ed looked around from the roof of the headquarters.

"This place was completely wrecked when I last saw it…". He said to himself.

Several hours ago, Roy had named everyone a state alchemist.

According to his newely given silver watch, it was four o'clock.

He stared at the horizon, and saw the railway. Two almost invisible lines.

A train was coming. It came quite fast, and the sole wagon it was carrying was very big. Bigger than any other he had ever seen. And it was being followed by a black mass of what looked like ants.

"Holy shit!". Ed shouted.

He ran downstairs, and stormed into Roy's office.

"What is it, Full Metal?".

"THEY'RE HERE!".

Roy turned around, and looked through the window.

The black mass had nearly reached the station. The train was almost there, way ahead of the army.

Ed ran away, heading to the station.

o0o

Envy had accelerated the train. It was moving very fast, and he couldn't wait to reach Central.

"We're here, Gluttony!". He sahouted wildly. He had adopted his green haired shape again.

The station came closer, and jumped off the machine just in time to reach the platform.

A blonde teenager was standing there, and saw the train go past.

It crashed the wall, and went past, entering the city, creating a massive destruction site. The cloud of dust disipated, and the giant wagon had one of it's walls broken. A giant hand smashed the floor, and started pulling the rest of the giant body out.

"Gluttony!". Ed shouted, looking at the monster.

"That shouldn't be your main worry now, pipsqueak".

Ed turned around, and saw the shape of the young man with purple eyes and green hair, wearing black clothes.

Ed couldn't believe his eyes.

Nor his ears.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PIECE OF CRAP SMALLER THAN A GRAIN OF SAND?".


	8. The Confession of Sins

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 8 The Confession of Sins

Ed moved back, dodging Envy's kick. He clapped his hands, and transmuted his hand into a blade.

"Come on, now! I'm not finally killing you in a train station where the bastard can't see me!".

"Coward". Ed said steadily.

He moved ahead, and tried to cut Envy's chest from the left to the right. The Homunculus gave a backflip, and hit Edward on the chin. He rolled over the floor, and stood up again.

Envy relaxed, and sighed.

"The battle is about to start. You should get cover. I'll have Gluttony to clear the space for the armies to fight".

"Don't you dare run away!". Ed shouted.

"Oh, I'm not running!". Envy said, grinning.

Gluttony's fist smashed Ed, and sent him away through the air.

He found himself floating, and clapped his hands, without any material to transmute.

"Damn…". He said to himself.

He took his red coat off, and transmuted it into a rudimentary parachute.

He floated slowly, headed to the headquarters, while he saw Gluttony wrecking Central.

Envy was on top of his head, watching the buildings that were being destroyed.

Ed fell into Roy's office, and stood up, cleaning the dust on his clothes.

"It's on". He said.

"Yeah, I thought so. Maybe it was because of the giant mass of flesh that's eating the city". Roy said.

"Get the army ready". Ed said.

He walked out, and head to the phone. He was about to call the hotel, when Al came in running, followed by Hohenheim, Izumi, Ran Fan, Mei Yang and Xiao Mei, Wrath, Winry and Paninya.

"The army is gathering out here! Everyone's looking for you!". Al shouted.

"I was about to tell you to come! Any ways. Winry, stay in here. This is the last bastion". Ed said, kissing her.

She shivered a bit, but then controlled herself.

The doors opened again, and an enormous crowd of people came in. Ed was being pulled by Al, and Winry was pushed by the crowd.

They looked at each other one last time, and Ed turned around, and walked away.

o0o

Gluttony had created a great circle, in which no building was left. The headquarters were just the limit. Envy walked to the center, and Gluttony came behind him. He shook his hands, as if he were calling for Ed, while the Xing army gathered on the other side of the city.

Ed moved away from the crowd. The soldiers were in order, looking at him. Roy, at the front, walked to his side.

A loud crash was heard. Next to Ed, Lust was kneeling, with one of her fists on the ground, having just created a crater after her jump off the roof of the headquarters.

"Let's go". She said darkly.

The group started walking.

They covered the distance in a minute, and found themselves in front of the Homunculi.

o0o

"Hey, Lust". Envy said, completely relaxed.

She grew her fingers, and pierced his chest. With her other hand, she punched him, and sent him away flying under Gluttony.

The beast roared, but Envy lifted his hand, making a signal for him to stay put.

He left a lot of blood behind, but stood up, and grabbed Lust's upcoming punch. Her face contorted in rage and pain.

"What?". He asked, spitting blood.

She screamed, and tried to hit him again, but he stopped her again, and made her kneil.

"WHAT?". He shouted.

"I LOVE YOU!". She yelled.

Envy's face twitched, but it returned to his default disgust face.

"Is that it… You love me?".

"Homunculi are not supposed to feel human emotions… Then what is this that I feel towards you? That is burning in my chest?".

"It's Lust". Envy answered. He kicked her in the chest, and she flew away backwards.

She was left past Ed and Roy, who looked at her sadly. Ed ran up to her, and lifted her head.

She was crying, and whined quietly.

"Whimp". Envy whispered.

Roy helped Ed to take Lust back, while Envy and Gluttony walked away.

Lust's eyes were shallow.

"Envy…". She whispered.

o0o

The two armies were facing each other.

By the side of Xing, Envy was right at the front. Just behind him were the archers. After them, the spearmen and swordsmen. Just for reserve, Gluttony was chained in the back.

Ed and Al were in the center and in the front of their army. To the right of Ed, Hohenheim stood. To his side, Flecther, and then Scar. To the left of Al, Izumi, Wrath, Russel and Armstrong.

In front of them all was Roy.

"Are we doing this for glory, Full Metal?". Roy asked.

"We're doing this for the women in the military to use mini skirts". Ed said, laughing.

"Hm, you're right". Roy said, smirking.


	9. The City

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 9 The City

Roy moved ahead a few steps, and snapped his fingers, creating a fire wall.

His amry started moving, and the steps made the ground shake. The auto mail users made an incredibly loud noice.

A rain of arrows flew over the fire, and was about to reach the army, but Armstrong grew a series of stone heads shaped like himself, and stopped the attack.

After the arrows stopped being heard slicing the air, Alex made the wall dissappear, and so did Roy.

"Ahead". He said.

The army stayed put. Only him and the alchemists moved ahead, running against Envy's whole army.

"Go!". Envy shouted.

Gluttony jumped past the Xing army, and crashed the floor in front of the alchemists. In the meantime, the Amestrian and the Xingian army faced by the sides, leaving one grat circle where Ed and the others fought Gluttony.

While the blood started spreading through the floor, alchemists, who no one but Envy had seen, drew a circle around the reduced group.

o0o

Ed verily dodged one of Gluttony's mouths. He jumped over it, and ran on the neck, piercing little holes every time he could.

The philosopher's tone dripped, and the long neck shook, throwing Edward away.

Hohenheim, almost lazily, fought two heads at a time.

He jumped back and forth without loosing his calm face. Once in a while, he grew a spike from the floor, and damaged the heads severely, but these regenerated.

Al, Izumi and Wrath were on Gluttony's back, trying to transmute pieces of him into something else, in order to waste him down, but it wasn't working quite well.

One of the three extra heads trapped Wrath, who held the fangs open sing all of his might.

Envy looked lazily at the battle, just on the border of the circle he had sent his alchemist's to draw.

The armies were getting closer to where Gluttony was. Soon, they would all step into it.

Armstrong and Scar were busy trying to smash Gluttony's hands.

They had succeded in some fingers, but Gluttony, proving to be tough, kept trying to punch them, many times, holding balance in just one of his hands.

o0o

"Al! Here!". Ed shouted, as he tossed his brother a philosopher's stone.

Al grabbed it in middair, just in time to dodge one of Gluttony's faces.

He transmuted one of the necks into solid rock, and then destroyed it.

Gluttony roared in pain, and looked at his own back, twisting his neck.

Ed jumped on top of him, as did the other alchemists. Only Roy stayed on the ground, making a circle of fire around the monster.

"Lower him down from the inside! I have to take care of some things right now!". He yelled to Ed.

"Stop giving me orders!". Ed replied.

Using the stone, he transmuted his arm into a blade bigger than usual. He let it fall, and pierced de whole of Gluttony's skin.

He opened the wound, and made everyone jump in.

Using the stone tohether with Al, they transmuted a platform out of thin air. They splashed on the sea of blood, and looked around, trapped in that solitary scene once again.

"Okay, let's waste all of this material. We have to transform every little extra piece of Gluttony into something else. How about Oxigen?". Ed proposed.

"That should be quite hard… It's a lot of flesh, bone and blood".

"It'll work well". Izumi said, after thinking for a while. "Come, kids, lets draw the circle". She said. She put her fingers into the blood, and started making the formula circle for the transmutation.

"Looks complex". Scar said. "I could deconstruct the structure". He added.

"It's mainly water, as a human body". Armstrong said, looking around. "If you just deconstruct it, Central will flood. A more extensive circle has to be prepared".

After a while, the circle was ready.

Russel and Fletcher looked around. They were quite shocked about the battle, but still helped on the alchemy.

Mei Yang was completely terrified. She couldn't bare blood. She got sick just by the sight of it. She had to face the fact that there was gonna be blood, the situation being open warfare, but this sea was too much.

Everyone clapped their hands, and then laid them on the circle.

It started shining.

A light in the sea of darkness.

o0o

The army completely stepped in the circle. Only a few men weren't able to step in.

Gluttony started shaking wildly, as parts of his body started decontructing, as if they were rotting.

After falling to the ground, and crashing several soldiers, Gluttony yelled in agonny.

He fell down, and rolled. For one last act, one of his little head went into his open mouth, and down his throat.

"He's deconstructing… Damn- Well, not a pipsqueak, seeing his size". Envy whispered.

Inside, Edward heard the noice of the raging creature, and saw the head approaching.

It trapped him between his fangs. He barely had time to get his auto mail limbs in a good position to oppose the strength of the bite.

He was pulled outside, and thrown away.

He transmuted his red coat once againg to a parachute, but he was taken down by a series of arrows, which, luckily, didn't wound him.

He fell to the ground, near where Envy was standing. He looked at the green haired shape, and groaned.

"Hm? Oh, it's you. I wonder how did you get out so quick?".

Ed looked at him with deep hatred.

"It looks as if I were the one who killed Ling… Shoud I remind you that you did it?".

Ed felt a stone on his stomach.

Just to go against Envy, he looked at him with even more despice.

"I'll revive him".

"Oh, you know that is forbidden, as well as impossible".

"I have done it once, I can do it again".

"Would you really sacrifice all of this for just one life? Your brother is one thing, but this guy…!".

"Shut up!".

o0o

Gluttony shook wildly, and lost his size. All of the alchemists were already out of him, while he breathed heavily.

Al came close to him, and pat his back.

"I'll let you eat people, but only this one time, you hear me?".

"Yeeees". He said, letting his tongue hang out.

"All the people in green armors, you can just eat them". He added.

Gluttony looked around, and jumped away.

The bloodbath that followed was undescriptible, as were his screams of pleasure.

Al looked up, and saw Ed standing in front of Envy.

"It's just about to end, brother". He said.

He turned, and went on fighting.

o0o

"You knew him! And yet, you betrayed us! You were our friend! I really believed that you had changed!".

"Oh, what a whimp! Really, you can't come out here and tell me all this sweetie-weetie bullshit, Edward. If you're trying to convince me, then fight me".

"You know I could have killed you several times already". Ed said, raging.

"Yes, but this time I'll fight abusing my powers, as should you, Ed".

"Why? Why did you betray us? It's not really Envy that you have! You had lost it when Lust confessed that she loved you… You had finally become a human then! You had almost forgave Hohenheim!".

Envy's look darkened. He lost his wide smile, and turned around. He shook his arms, and the alchemists clapped their hands, and made the floor under the warriors dissappear. They fell into what seemed a bottomless pit, but Ed knew they had fallen into the abandoned city.

"A five hundred year hatred isn't forgotten so fast". Envy said. He ran to the hole, and jumped down.

Suddenly, thruth shook Edward's mind.

That wasn't…

It hadn't been…

And it may never be again…

He ran after Envy, and jumped into the hole too. He looked down, as the shape of Envy grew little by little, since he was reaching him in middair.

"It's not you! You are not Envy!". Ed shouted.

He rolled in the air, and landed on his feet, pushing the auto mail leg almost to the limit.

"Envy was born fou hundred years ago…". Ed said, smiling evily himself, and looking at Envy's shape.

"Hohenheim created him four hundred years ago, but he was with you one hundred years before that!".

Ed grew his blade, and pointed at his enemy.

Envy's face was still dark, but all of a sudden it turned into a wide smile.

"You finally realized...".

"You're not Envy! You're Dante!". Edward shouted.


	10. The Final Battle

鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)

Chapter 10 The Final Battle

Envy shifted slowly into Lyla, and walked up to Ed.

He pierced her, and she coughed blood.

"So naive, Edward…". He punched her in the face, and then jumped back.

"When did it happen? When did you become Envy?".

Dante stood up slowly, and cleaned her mouth, laughing.

"You have to earn that information… Fair trade… Lemme tell you: If you manage to cut my head without me harming you, I'll tell you".

Ed ran u to her, and a giant hand grew from the floor.

Dante looked at him, smiling.

In middair, Edward turned, and landed near her.

He jumped ahead, and pierced her neck. Then, he moved his hand wildly, and finally cut her off.

He kicked the headless body, which fell to the ground, and left quite a big blood stain.

Ed cleaned his blade, and saw how the head regenerated, and Dante stood up.

"Fine… When Envy was cruccified, I had Greed to tell Yeng to bring me out of the Door. He pierced Envy, and then I had him dissappear. After I wounded Envy, I went inside him, and took over, since he's gone so weak around you guys". Dante said.

Ed looked at her, and another question poped to his mind.

"How come you're using alchemy? You're still in Envy's body".

"Earn it". She said.

She shifted into Ling, and looked at Ed. He, trying to focus, thought over and over again that it wasn't the real Ling in front of him.

o0o

Roy snapped his fingers over and over again, creating blazes of fire around the field.

Many soldiers fought bravely, and the battle seemed far from ending.

He had seen Gluttony jumping around, eating the Xingian soldiers.

"It's been a while". He heard someone say by his side.

"I didn't miss this". A woman's voice added.

Armstrong and Riza were back to back with him.

"Riza, why are you here?". Roy said, annoyed, snapping his fingers again.

"I heard what you said to Edward about the mini skirts".

"You should take care of your relationship, Roy". Armstrong said, punching the floor, making a series of his head's image appear.

"It's the fact that she's pregnant what worries me. A battle field in an underground lost city is no place for an expectant woman". Roy said.

"You're having a baby? Oh, Roy!". Armstrong said, and opened his arms widely, just about to hug him.

Roy put his hand in front of Alex, and showed him his fingers, ready to snap them.

"Now I'm the fuhrer. If you even dare hug me, I'll take care of your ridiculous mustache". He said, angrily.

"You wouldn't dare…". Armstrong answered darkly. "…Sir". He added.

"Don't try me".

He turned around, and kept fighting.

Al went past him, and clapped his hands. He rolled over some soldiers, and laid his palms on the floor.

A giant hammer grew from the ground, and it fell on top of a troop of Xing.

Hohenheim moved around, walking lazily.

Many soldiers approached him running, but they were stopped by a wall, or a fist, or a spike, or their feet got trapped and attached to th floor.

He yawned, and looked to where Ed was fighting with…

"No…!".

o0o

Dante moved very quickly. Ling's shape was ideal for escaping, and it was very good at fighting.

Ed tried to cut her head again, but she bent, and kicked his left leg. He lost balance, and rolled on the floor. He stood up again as fast as he could, and Dante dashed into his chest.

Laying on the floor, breathing hardly, Ed looked at Ling, and for a moment forgot everything.

He was walking to school, with Winry hugging him, and Remy, Al and Ling walking by their side.

Laughing, and joking.

He shook his head, as he heard Hohenheim shouting at Dante.

He stood up, in time to see Hohenheim punching Dante on the face. She turned around, and returned the punch.

Ed pierced her in the chest, taking advantage of her distraction, and grabbed her neck. Pulling her face close to his, and filled with rage, he shouted:

"How can you use alchemy in this body?".

Dante sighed, varily breathing, and looked at Ed. He released her neck, and put his hand on top of the half of the blade that wasn't inside Dante.

"The beings inside the Gate made me one of them, and they rule alchemy. I made myself a type of disease that infected Envy's body with the capability to transmute".

Ed finished drawing the circle with Dante's blood. When she realized, he grinned.

"You won't be doing it anymore".

He put his hand on top of the circle, and his arm shined.

Dante's eyes went blank, and she started shaking violently. She coughed up some blood, and slowly returned to the green haired shape of Envy.

After this, Ed pulled his arm out of his step brother, and held in his hands a black sphere. It was simmilar to the philosopher's stone. Neither liquid nor solid.

Sighing, Ed tossed it away, near some soldier's bodies.

Just after he did, a roar sound from their side of the battle field.

They had just won the battle against Xing.

o0o

Al walked up to Ed and Hohenheim. They were trying to wake Envy up.

The Amestrian army had found some tunnels, and everyone was leaving.

In about ten minutes, there was no one left there, but Envy, Hohenheim, Ed, Al and the corpses.

"This feels lonely". Ed said, looking around.

"I've been a loner my whole life". Envy said, waking up.

They all smiled, and helped Envy stand up.

"The last thing I remember was being on that damn symbol, and a spear on my chest. After that, it all went black". Envy told them.

Ed and Al told him the story, with few details, and when they finished, he looked around.

"I can't believe she was still alive… Though I was too, inside the Door, but…".

Hohenheim looked around, too, and saw something weird. Some of the bodies they thought dead were moving.

"…And Ling's dead…". Envy whispered.

"I promised him I was going to bring him back". Ed said.

"That's human transmutation, brother". Al said, sadly.

"I've done it before". He said, looking at Alphonse.

"Get ready". Hohenheim said.

"What? What's going on?". Al said, surprised.

"She's not dead".

A black mass, with red eyes, in the shape of many attached bodies walked up to them.

o0o

"I ca't believe she won't die". Envy said.

He shifted into the dragon, and Hohenheim, Ed and Al sat down on his back, riding him.

"Get a grip". Envy said, and he started moving very quickly. He surrounded the black being that Dante had become, and twisted himself around it.

Ed jumped to it's leg, and cut it with his blade.

He jumped back, as Hohenheim jumped on to Dante's ches, and transmuted it into stone.

The black body fell down, and it slowly regenerated. Al jumped down of Envy's back, too, and transmuted a piece of his soul to one of the corpses that made part of the monster.

The rest of tham started shaking wildly, and they split, creating about twenty smaller dark creatures.

Envy shifted back to normal, and looked at the dark group.

"Damn, this is getting serious".

o0o

Al and the body with a part of his soul took care of four dark soldiers at a time.

Very quickly, they imprisonned them, and then crushed the jail, but the pieces of dark mattery become one big mass again.

"This won't be useful". He said.

Ed kept cutting and piercing, but the shadows, got a hold of him.

They were trying to get one of their hands into his mouth, but he shook in anger, and noticed that one shadow, bigger than the others, and with red eyes, wasn't moving.

He clapped his hands, and transmuted the shadows into the floor. It started cracking, as they tried to come out.

He had another thought.

o0o

Once, during his short period in school, he read about a theory.

The atoms in thet universe had a positive charge. A complete opposite universe would have negative charge. If these universe collided, the positive and negative charges would destroy each other, and simply dissappear.

He analyzed the shadows, and thought of the transmutation he had just made.

"So that's it! Envy, give me some philosopher's stone!". He shouted.

Envy jumped on top of the shadows, and pierced his hand with his finger, after shifting it to a spike. He jumped, turning around, and tossed the stone to Ed.

He grabbed it, and attached it to his blade.

Running up to the big shadow, he jumped, and with all of his strength, pierced it's chest.

As he had expected, the stone was absorbed, and the shadow started destroying itself.

"They're not shadows. They're negative philosopher's stone".

While the others ceased fighting, Hohenheim got close to Edward.

"What?".

"The beings inside the Door are the opposite to a human. As an atom has protons, electrons, and neutrons, there are beings outside the Door, inside the Door, and in a middle state. Homunculi would be like neutrons. Us, humans, who's lifes help create a philosopher's stone, are the opposite to the beings inside the door. We can be considered protons, and those beings, electrons. Dante had them create a stone, using her as material. After thinking how the positive stone would react to the negative, I made her dissappear… Or loose the rest of her powers".

"Impressive… You have really left me behind". Hohenheim said.

A body that shook, and was very pale and white, shook at the sight of the four family members.

"That's all what's left of Dante". Al said.

"Who…". They heard her whisper.

"I can't believe it… She was still alive".

"Who am I?". She finnally said.

Ed knelt, and grabbed the pale body from it's clothing, and lifted Dante a bit closer to his face.

"I told you I was going to get you". He said, hatefully.

"You made a promise to Ling… Now you have to bring him back…". Dante said, smiling evily.

Ed fell his heart cold and heavy.

"Who am I?". She repeated.

"You're Dante". Envy said, looking at her with hatred.

"Who am I?". She asked again, now looking at Hohenheim.

"You have been many people… But you're not the one I love". He said, with a sad face.

She teared slightly, and looked at Ed again.

"Who… Am… I?". She asked again.

"Who are you…?". Ed said, thinking of everything this woman had caused.

"You are dead". He finished.

He pierced her chest with rage, and got stained with blood.

Dante's pale body was dripping blood through it's mouth.

Ed teared too, thinking of what he was meant to do now.

He stained his fingers with Dante's blood, and drew a circle. A circle he had drawn before, in that same place, when he was going to bring his brother back from the death.

o0o

"Go". Ed said.

"You are going to use yourself as a coin for Ling to live?". Al asked, in the limit for tears.

"I took life away from him. It's nothing but fair that I return it".

"You are going to do it, Ed? The chances that you go past the door again may be none". Hohenheim said.

"Tell Winry I love her". He added.

"Let's go". Envy said, darkly. "Good bye, pipsqueak".

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SMALL, IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOGNIZE ANT WANNABE!!!???".

"That's not what I said". Envy asnwered calmly, patting Al in the back.

Him and Hohenheim, followed by Envy, walked away of the battle field, and left Edward alone.

He clapped his hands, and was about to lay them on the ground, ready to take charge for his actions.

鋼の錬金術師/FullMetal Alchemist/Hagane No Renkinjutsushi

* * *

**Hello, everyone! Gee, I've finnally finished the trilogy! I hope you liked it. I know, I know, the ending is waaaaaay to wode open. It's just that that's it for "The War of Amestris and Xing".**

**What I'm gonna do is write an epilogue. It will be called... uh... Epilogue.**

**Just review this, and then go check out "Epilogue", where I will give the Full Metal Alchemist anime a real, 100 original and nice closure. I can't take a wide open ending! So, enjoyed this? Review! And go read the end!**

**Leandro.**

_Special thanks to:_

_GreedyGreed, who's done beta reading for some chapters (those that don't have mistakes)_

_Kanashii.Umi, who's based many fics on my phrases, situations, commentaries, and Remy, and gave me the idea of having Kimbley as the chemistry teacher._

_Redsoul, who's always reviewed first than everyone else, encouraging me to go on._

_For them, and many more, who don't have any sort of connection to this website, but still had something to do with me writing this._

_And, Last, above all:_

_to Hiromu Arakawa, for making such a gret manga, such great anime, such great movie, characters, story, etc etc-, and one crappy ending, which I tried to fix! I vow before you, as I know every other FicWriter that has written FMA does!_


End file.
